Automatic disinfecting-closet.



N. OGDEN. AUTOMATIC DISINFEGTING CLOSET. APPLICATION FILED OOT..1, 1909,

984,696. Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS co-. WAsHmm-olg, D. c.

1101111311. AUTOMATIC DISINFEQTING CLOSET.

APPLIOATI ON FILED OUT. 1, 1909.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

2 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

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name STATES TENT FFICE.

NORMAN OGDEN, OF BRUNSWICK, NEAR MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA,ASSIGNOR TO ARTHUR ECKERSLEY, OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

AUTOMATIC DISINFECTING-CLOSET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Application filed October 1, 1909. Serial N 0. 520,468.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN OGDEN, a citizen of the Commonwealth ofAustralia, and residing at 4 Bennie street, Brunswick, near Melbourne,Victoria, Australia, have invented certain new and useful ImprovedAutomatic Disinfecting- Closets, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has been devised in order to provide a simple closetwhich will automatically supply and discharge a certain quantity ofdisinfectant into the soil pan each time the closet is used and whichwill automatically close down a platen or flapper valve when the closetis not in use and thus seal or close up the bottom of the closet pan,thereby preventing the entrance of flies to the night soil pan andclosing the latter from view.

In order thatthe invention may be readily understood, it will bedescribed by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a front elevation of a closet constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse section of said closet,while Fig. 3 is a plan thereof with the lid or cover removed. Fig. 4L isa plan, and Fig. 5 an underside View of part of the platen or flappervalve above referred to, while Fig. 6 is a central section of saidplaten or flapper valve. Figs. 7 to 10 are views illustrating variousdetails hereinafter referred to.

The same reference numerals indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the lower part of the closet pan 1 is a platen or flapper valve 2mounted upon a spindle 3 extending across the back of said pan andmounted in hearings on either side thereof. This platen or flapper valveis arranged'so that it normally closes the bottom of the closet pan 1.For this purpose it is preferably made approximately D-shaped in plan asindicated in Fig. 1 and the closet pan is also made of a correspondingshape,

that is its front side t is preferably rounded and flared outwardlytoward the top while the rear or back 5 of the pan is flat so that theplaten or flapper valve 2 when raised into its open position, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, can lie snugly back against ornearly against it'and when in this pocloset pan from pollution.

The platen or flapper valve 2 is made hollow or is otherwise formed witha chamber or compartment 6 as indicated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. For thispurpose the said platen may be made double or it can, as indicated insaid figures, be provided with a dished or saucer shaped plate 7attached by riveting or otherwise to the underside of the platen. Thisdished plate 7 is provided with a few perforations 8 in order to delivera certain quantity of disinfectant into the soil pan 9 each time thecloset is used. These perforations are preferably made on the louverprinciple as shown in Fig. 6 so that they will not be liable to bechoked up with excreta.

The spindle 3 is attached or connected to the platen 2 in any convenientmanner. Preferably said spindle is made square or otherwise sided insection and is passed through a correspondingly shaped socket 11 in theback edge of the platen, said socket being preferably made by bendingback the rear part of the plate forming the body or base of said platen.

The bearings for the spindle, 3 of the platen are formed in the sides ofthe closet pan .1. These bearings may be conveniently formed in a pieceof angle iron 12 secured to or alongside the lower part of the closetpan. If said spindle is square or otherwise sided, it may be provided ateither end with small sleeves 13 where it passes through said bearingsas indicated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

Means are provided for automatically raising the platen or flapper valve2 into its open position (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2) when thecloset is in use. A convenient gear for the purpose is illustrated inthe drawings. It comprises a pair of levers 14: fulcrumed in suitablesupports 15 on either side of the closet pan and connected to orengaging with projecting arms 16 on either end of the platen spindle 3.The rear ends of the levers 14 may be slotted as indicated at 17 in Fig.2 and be arranged to engage with laterally projecting pins 18 on theends of the arms 16 either direct or by means of connecting rods orother suitable connections as will be readily understood.

The front ends of the levers M are adapted to be operated upon by thedepression of either the seat 19 of the closet, or of a footboard 20mounted in front thereof. For this purpose the front ends of said leverslet are connected with said seat and footboard by means of a wooden orother rod 21 and a rod, chain, or other suitable connection 22. Theselatter connections may be provided with hooks 23 adapted to be engagedwith eyes 21 on the lower ends of the rods 21 so that they can readilybe disconnected therefrom when it is required to remove the foot-board20 with its supporting box or case "in order to withdraw the soil pan 9through the doorway 26 provided for that purpose. This disconnection isof course UHDQCGSSRIy where facilities can be provided for withdrawingthe soil pan from one of the sides or the back of the closet.

27 represents a trough or receptacle which is attached to the back ofthe closet pan 1 either by having its front edge hooked over the back ofsaid pan as illustrated in Fig. 2 or by being bolted or otherwisefastened thereto. It is adapted to contain a supply of any suitableliquid disinfectant and is preferably rounded at the bottom forsimplicity of const-ru'ction and in order that the disinfectant may beused up without undue waste. The disinfectant supplied to the hollowplaten or flapper valve 2 is elevated, each time the closet is used, bymeansof a ladle 28 consisting-preferably of a short piece of tubing withholes 29 in its upper side. This ladle measures'a regular quantity ofdisinfectant and is secured upon the end of a short hollow arm or smalltube 30 which is mounted upon a rock-bar o'r spindle 31 mounted inbearings in the ends of the disinfectantreservoir 27 and provided at oneend with a ;pro ect1ng arm 32 connected by a rod 33 with a pm 3 1 uponone of the arms 16,

which, as above mentioned, are mounted upon the platen spindle 3. Thedelivery end of the tube 30 is arranged to discharge into another tubeor spout 35 projecting, through the back of the closet and securedthereto by nuts as shown or otherwise. A rubber washer or 'buffer 36 maybe mounted upon this tube 35 in order to deaden the impact of saidplaten when raised into its open position. In order to act as a checkupon the downward movement of said platen'so that it will close down inthe pan comparatively quietly-a dash plate or damper 37 is mounted uponthe hollow arm or tube 30 of the disinfectant ladle so that it willoffera certainamount of resistance when lowered into A dash-pot 38 whichmay be constructed as illustrated in Fig. 10 may be connected with thefootboard 20 or other moving part of the closet to serve as a check tothe down ward movement of the platen 2. It may be employed eitherinstead of or in addition to the dash or damper plate 37. Theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 10 is a convenient one for the purposeand consists simply of a piece of tube working inside another one andthe outer tube being'fitted with an air escape vent 39 near its upperend. The dash pot must of course be supported so that it has a certainamount of play to allow it to con form to the movement of the footboard.

Other means may be provided, either instead of or in addition to-thedash or damper plate, for indicating when the disinfectant reservoirrequires to be refilled. For instance, a float may be used to operate asmall indicator carrying a notification that the reservoir requires tobe refilled. This latter operation may be conveniently done through aplugged orifice 40 (Fig. 2) provided for the purpose in the reservoir.

A closet constructed as above described will automatically be opened assoon as a person steps upon the footboard 20 or sits down upon the seat19. The platen or flapper valve 2 will thereby be turned up against theback of the pan and will cover or pro- 'tect the back of said pan frombeing soiled.

sire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic disinfecting closet, the combination of a bowl; amovable hollow disinfectant-delivering valve normally closing said bowl;a part movable by the weight of a user adapted to'open-said valve; andmeans for automatically discharging a supply of disinfectant into saidvalve each time the closet is used.

2. In an automatic disinfecting closet the combination of a bowl; amovable hollow disinfectant-delivering valve normally closing saidbowl;apart movablebythe weight of a user adapted to open said valve; and

means for automatically discharginga supply of disinfectant IDtOSiLlClvalve each time the closet is used, comprising a disinfectant tank, aladle movable therein adapted when raised to discharge itscontents intothe hollow valve; and connections whereby said ladle is automaticallyraised when the valve is raised.

3. In an automatic disinfecting closet the combination of a bowl; and amovable, hol- 10W, disinfeotant-delivering valve therefor comprising avalve plate having an inlet opening therein, and a dished perforatedplate secured to the underside of the valve plate.

4. In an automatic disinfecting closet the combination of a bowl; and amovable, hollow, disinfect-ant-delivering valve therefor comprising avalve plate having an inlet opening therein, and a dished plate securedto the underside of the valve plate and having louver-shaped dischargeopenings therein.

5. In an automatic disinfecting closet the combination of a bowl; amovable hollow disinfectant-delivering valve normally closing said bowl;a part movable by the weight of a user adapted to open said valve; andmeans for automatically discharging a supply of disinfectant into saidvalve each time the closet is used, comprising a disinfectant tank, aladle movable therein adapted when raised to discharge its contents intothe hollow valve, and connections whereby said ladle is automaticallyraised when the valve is raised; and a dash-plate movable with thedipper in the aforesaid tank.

(5. In an automatic disinfecting closet the combination of a bowl; amovable hollow disinfectant-delivery valve normally closing said bowl apart movable by the weight of a user adapted to open said valve; meansfor automatically discharging a supply of disinfectant into said valveeach time the closet is used; and a dashpot arranged to check theclosing movement of said valve.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

NORMAN OGDEN.

Witnesses:

VVILLIAM ARMSTRONG, PERCY Hnnens.

